Use the PROP Method to Deliver Bad News

Four steps keep readers happy—even about bad news

Need to convey some less-than-stellar information to a client, patient, or parent? Deliver the bad news with the PROP Method to avoid pissing off readers and retain precious goodwill.

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Key Takeaways

  • Encountering bad news at outset of messages perceive later content negatively.

  • When writers lead with the reasons for bad news, readers perceive the organization as empathetic.

  • Readers respond positively to options for alternative actions, despite receiving bad news.

  • Place the most negative information in a dead zone for recall: the middle of the email's central paragraph.

Most organizations fail to grasp how readers will react to even minor adjustments in organizations, prices, or services they rely on. As a result, many organizations send out routine emails or letters to convey information readers will invariably perceive as unwelcome. (See Document 1, below, for a real-life example.) Even worse, most organizations deliberately conceal negative information, believing clients will never discover it—despite the well-documented backlashes that have followed organizations concealing bad news from clients. In contrast, when organizations deliver the negative news, consumers regain their trust in them.

On the other hand, for most writers, delivering bad news is as welcome as a root canal. But you can minimize fall-out from negative news by understanding how your audience will perceive your email. Or, if you’re Old School, and the news is nuclear-meltdown-negative, send a print letter. However, regardless of which medium you choose, the PROP Method (Priming and Positive, Rationale, Options, Placement) will minimize fallout and preserve company-client or even parent-teacher relationships.

Start with a P for Priming and Positive

Dozens of studies document the impact of affective priming, or how the first items we read bias our recall of even unrelated items. When you expose readers to positive news, they recall more positive details from subsequent news stories or, in this case, paragraphs. Conversely, when exposed to negative content, readers overwhelmingly recall negative details. 

In addition, readers approach email differently from other text, focusing on the identity of the sender, then the topic, before skimming the opening paragraph. After that, if they’re interested, readers typically scan the beginning of the second paragraph—potentially missing any upside you mention in the email. 

Finally, primacy effects in memory ensure that this first paragraph’s content makes an outsized impression, trumping any positive aspects of your message that follow it. As a result, if you hit your readers with the bad news at the outset, you face two possible outcomes—neither of them desirable. 

  1. Readers will react badly to the first paragraph and stop reading.

  2. If they continue reading, your readers’ recall of the entire email will be negative.

Let’s look at how to handle the opening paragraph in a rejection letter. Most of us have an unhappy familiarity with these suckers. You know, the letter that informs you just how many highly qualified applicants your would-be employer had for the job you totally failed to get. Moreover, despite writing thousands of these messages, most people in HR or on hiring committees barely consider your reaction when you get this rejection. 

But let’s look at another scenario, one that’s more common than most people realize. A talented employee applies for a job inside the organization. You think this new job is slightly beyond the employees’ current level of experience. But you want to keep them in the organization because he or she has done valuable work. Thus your opening paragraph should on the positive aspects of the applicant’s current work, while the company shows gratitude for their performance. 

Thank you for your interest in the Manager of Eastern European marketing position. We are impressed with the initiative you showed in the challenging setting of our Warsaw office.

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Next, include a Rationale

Unsurprisingly, researchers have scrambled to determine how to minimize fallout from negative news. When you lead with reasons why a negative event occurred, readers also have three distinct reactions, all surprisingly positive.

  1. They comprehend the email more easily.

  2. Readers perceive you as both more competent and empathetic.

  3. They typically comply with directions you suggest in the same email.

Remember, if you fail to include a reason for the bad news, readers will usually create their own theories about causes behind events—often much more dramatic and negative than the real reasons. 

When you’re trying to retain talented candidates but unable to offer them the job, provide a concrete, legitimate reasons that your readers will acknowledge are true. Remember, you’re customizing only a few words in an email template that will work for all the “We’re sorry, but—” emails your organization sends out. And you’re only tailoring email for the most talented, inside candidates. .

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Provide Options

When you deliver bad news, readers immediately perceive new limitations on their choices or actions. Psychologists call this reaction psychological reactance, and our usual response will be to seek other alternatives, never a good outcome for any business. So you should always provide your readers with options for action, which will always make them feel empowered rather than powerless--but only if the alternatives are legitimate. 

Place sensitive information in a recall dead zone

We recall information at the beginnings and endings of paragraphs well. However, we have terrible recall of the middles of paragraphs—a dead zone for memory. So you should place the worst news in the middle of your email's central paragraph. 

So let’s look at how the rationale and placement work in the second paragraph of this bad news email:

The executive committee at Digital Mammon International evaluated a number of strong candidates to decide which person is most suited for the appointment. While you possess excellent technical knowledge and marketing credentials in emerging markets, we chose a different candidate because you lack the extensive brand management experience we’re looking for in our next marketing manager for Eastern Europe.

Your final paragraphs should contain positive alternatives for your readers. In this case, alternatives include future openings better suited to the candidate’s experience. Be as specific as possible with these options, which put positive information at the end of the email, where, again, readers have strong recall of content. 

Personalize the options and be specific, so your valuable in-house talent realize the organization recognizes their contributions and offers them real possibilities for future promotions:

You clearly have a thorough-going knowledge of our platforms for business, as well as a proven track record in Sales at our Los Angeles office. As a result, we see you as a competitive candidate for future opportunities within our company. We therefore hope you’ll consider applying for similar marketing roles opening later this year in our offices in India and Argentina.

Avoid the usual closing—like Sincerely or Yours Truly or Regards—now so clichéd that readers barely register them in a quick scan. Instead, make a forward-looking statement that’s authentic and reinforces the options of your third paragraph:

I look forward to seeing your application soon for another opening at DMI,

Jenna Givens

Executive Committee
Digital Mammon International (DMI)

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